Plastic film insert

ABSTRACT

Plastic film strips are placed on the small end of an insertion tool and inserted into a B wire connector, then a ring, which is around the larger end of the tool is pushed over the loose ends of the plastic film to secure the plastic film insert into the wire connector.

United States Patent [191 Ray [1451 Oct. 7, 1975 1 PLASTIC FILM INSERT [76] Inventor: Jimmy C. Ray, Rt. 2, Box 33,

Denison, Tex. 75020 [22] Filed: Sept. 30, 1974 [21] App]. No.: 510,475

[52] US. Cl 29/629; 29/203 H [51] Int. Cl. HOZG 15/00 [58] Field of Search 29/200 H, 203 H, 203 HM, 29/203 P, 235, 282, 283, 280, 244, 242, 628, 629, 433, 241, 630 R, 630 A, 629; 145/50 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,901,310 8/1959 Mott 29/235 2,995,172 8/1961 Glatt 29/244 3,119,174 1/1964 WOkeCk... 29/235 3,149,413 9/1964 Baskell 29/235 3,555,674 l/197l A1160 et al. 29/241 3,781,985 1/1974 Yonkers 29/235 3,802,071 4/1974 Shannon 29/203 H 3,824,670 7/1974 Clark 29/203 H 3,833,992 9/1974 Moulin 29/203 H 3,844,012 10/1974 Sturtevant 29/203 H 3,861,033 1/1975 Updyke et a1. 29/628 OTHER PUBLIICATIONS Western Electric Technical Digest, No. 34, April 1974, pp. 27-28.

Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-James R. Duzan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Wendell Coffee [57] ABSTRACT Plastic film strips are placed on the small end of an insertion tool and inserted into a B wire connector, then a ring, which is around the larger end of the tool is pushed over the loose ends of the plastic film to secure the plastic film insert into the wire connector.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 3,909,936

PLASTIC FILM INSERT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to wire connectors and more particularly to the insertion of plastic film strips into B wire connectors.

2. Description of the Prior Art By the term B-wire connectors it is meant that shown in GRAFT ET AL, US. Pat. No. 3,064,072. At the present time, most telephone communication wires are connected with these B-wire connectors.

Difficulty has been experienced in inserting the wires into the connector because the tangs, with knife-like edges, tend to catch the wire and make it difficult to insert therein. Therefore, it has been suggested prior to my invention that a plastic film strip be inserted in the connector, giving a smooth, slick surface for insertion of the wires into the connector. The plastic film strips are sometimes referred to by the trademark Mylar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 1. New and Different Function I have invented a tool and a process for inserting the plastic film into the B-wire connector. The tool closely resembles a miniature screw driver. The tool has a bit end for the plastic film and a round handle for the ring which is placed over the ends of the plastic film. It is used in connection with two pads of sponge rubber. The plastic loops are spread on one and the plastic film strips on another. The ring is picked up first, then the plastic film and the plastic film inserted into the B-wire connector by means of the tool and then the ring slipped down the handle of the tool and over the B-wire connector.

2. Objects of the Invention An object of this invention is to insert plastic film into B-wire connectors.

Other objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, operate, and maintain.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is versatile, rapid, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not require skilled people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other ojects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of picking up the ring according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of pick up of the strip.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of inserting the strip.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of inserting the strip be fore it is pushed to the bottom.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inserted plastic film with the tool being removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, there may be seen tool to practice this invention. The tool is generally elongated and has rod 12 which extends from handle 14.

The endof the rod is flattened at 13 like the bit of a screw driver. The handle terminates with stub 16 next to the rod 12. Immediately above the stub is radial flange 18; immediately above that is cylindrical section 20, terminating with an extended handle portion which has flat sides 22. The extreme end of the handle is tapered or chamfered at 24.

As stated before, this is to be used with B-wire connector 30. The B-wire connector has a pocket therein. Since the tool is to be used in connection with the connector, the length of the rod 12 from the stub 16 to the bit 13 is about 19mm. Therefore, since the length of the pocket in the B-wire connector is about 20mm, the rod will reach to about the bottom of the connector. The stub 13 is about 3mm in diameter; therefore, it will insert into the insulation at the top of the B-wire connector, but it is about 3mm in length and, therefore, it will stop so that the flange 18 is flush with the top of the insulation when the end of the stub rests against the end of the copper portion of the B-wire connector. The cylindrical portion 20 is about 5mm in diameter and, therefore, it is about the same outside diameter as the insulation of the B-wire connector. The distance from the flange 18 to the tapered end 24 of the tool 10 is not critical, merely long enough to be conveniently held. This is conveniently 25mm. Therefore, the overall length of the tool is 47mm. The bit 13 is 2mm wide.

In operation, the tool is first taken and the tapered end 24 placed in ring 32 which is laying on sponge rubber pad 34. Since the sponge rubber pad is a soft yieldable surface, the ring 32 is easily telescoped over the tapered end 24. Then the operator reverses the tool 10 in his hand and places the bit 13 against plastic film strip 36. The bit is placed about the middle of the plastic film strip; therefore, since the plastic film in on another sponge rubber pad 38, the plastic film will press up along the side of the tool along the cylindrical section 20. It is noted that the flats 22 upon the handle 14 are aligned along the same side as bevels 17 on the stub 16 and aligned with the flat bit 13 of the rod 12. The forefinger of the operator is sipped down to hold the pieces of plastic film in place and the bit with the plastic film thereon is inserted into the B-wire connector. Then, with the plastic film and bit in the B-wire connector, the ring 32 upon the handle 14 is slipped down over the handle and over the cylindrical section 20 and onto the insulation around the top of the B-wire connector and over and around the ends of the plastic film strip 36; thereby, completing the operation.

The embodiment shown and. described above is only exemplary. I do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of my invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to makeand use the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of inserting plastic film strips into B- Wire connectors with a tool having a. an elongated rod and b. a coaxial elongated handle,

0. the rod having a flat bit on one end, and

d. the handle having i. a stub end at which the bit is attached and ii. a chamvered free end,

e. comprising the steps of:

f. placing a plastic film strip on a surface, then g. placing the bit of the tool at about the middle of the plastic film strip,

h. depressing the bit on the strip into said surfact,

thus

j. causing the plastic film strip to fold up along the sides of the tool, then k. moving the tool with the strip positioned thereon from said surfact to a B-wire connector, and

m. inserting the plastic film strip into the B-wire connector.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an additional limitation of 11. said surface being on a sponge rubber pad. 3. The method of inserting plastic film strips into B- wire connectors with a tool having a. an elongated rod and b. a coaxial elongated handle,

c. the rod having a flat bit on one end, and

d. the handle having i. a stub at which the bit is attached and ii. a chamfered free end,

e. comprising the steps of:

f. telescoping rings around the chamfered end of the handle, thereafter g. sliding the rings along the handle to the stub end,

thereafter h. positioning a plastic film strip at the bit of the tool,

thereafter j. inserting the bit with the plastic film strip thereon into a Bwire connector, and

k. sliding the ring from the stub end of the handle to around the end of the B-wire connector and around the ends of the plastic film strip which is folded back and along the outside of the connector, thus completing the task.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with an additional limitation of In. placing the rings on a sponge rubber pad and placing the plastic film strips on another sponge rubber pad so that a ring is placed upon the handle by pressing the handle through the ring and onto the sponge rubber pad, and the plastic film is picked up by placing the bit on a strip of plastic film and pressing down so that the ends of the plastic film come up and along the sides of the tool. 

1. The method of inserting plastic film strips into B-Wire connectors with a tool having a. an elongated rod and b. a coaxial elongated handle, c. the rod having a flat bit on one end, and d. the handle having i. a stub end at which the bit is attached and ii. a chamvered free end, e. comprising the steps of: f. placing a plastic film strip on a surface, then g. plAcing the bit of the tool at about the middle of the plastic film strip, h. depressing the bit on the strip into said surfact, thus j. causing the plastic film strip to fold up along the sides of the tool, then k. moving the tool with the strip positioned thereon from said surfact to a B-wire connector, and m. inserting the plastic film strip into the B-wire connector.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with an additional limitation of n. said surface being on a sponge rubber pad.
 3. The method of inserting plastic film strips into B-wire connectors with a tool having a. an elongated rod and b. a coaxial elongated handle, c. the rod having a flat bit on one end, and d. the handle having i. a stub at which the bit is attached and ii. a chamfered free end, e. comprising the steps of: f. telescoping rings around the chamfered end of the handle, thereafter g. sliding the rings along the handle to the stub end, thereafter h. positioning a plastic film strip at the bit of the tool, thereafter j. inserting the bit with the plastic film strip thereon into a ''''B''''-wire connector, and k. sliding the ring from the stub end of the handle to around the end of the ''''B''''-wire connector and around the ends of the plastic film strip which is folded back and along the outside of the connector, thus completing the task.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with an additional limitation of m. placing the rings on a sponge rubber pad and placing the plastic film strips on another sponge rubber pad so that a ring is placed upon the handle by pressing the handle through the ring and onto the sponge rubber pad, and the plastic film is picked up by placing the bit on a strip of plastic film and pressing down so that the ends of the plastic film come up and along the sides of the tool. 